Our Team

Staff

Ken joined Bike New York after spending his entire career working for the City of New York, previously serving as the City’s Sports Commissioner, a position he held for 12 years. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Commissioner/Chief Financial Officer for the Taxi & Limousine Commission; Assistant Commissioner of Finance for the Department of Youth & Community Development; and Senior Project Manager for the Economic Development Corporation. Ken began his career as an urban planner for the Department of Housing Preservation & Development, where he was the project manager of Metro Tech, a $1 billion commercial, academic and technology center that was responsible for revitalizing downtown Brooklyn. He graduated from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communications and the Whitman School of Management. He received his graduate degree from Columbia University’s School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, and currently serves on a variety of boards, including The League of American Bicyclists, Achilles International, United Jewish Appeal, Sports for Youth Committee, and the National Sports Marketing Network.

Hometown:

Oceanside, NY

Favorite restaurant and what to order:

The Zen calm of HanGawi, a vegetarian Korean restaurant in Murray Hill, is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s also where I met my wife on the best blind date ever. The rice bowls are all delicious, but make sure to try the organic wheat-free kale pancakes as an appetizer. (It tastes a lot better than it sounds.)

I like working for Bike New York because:

I love that we empower people to lead healthier, more productive lives through bicycling, and I feel blessed to be able to work with such a talented, committed and big-hearted group of people. My favorite part of the job is getting out to our classes and teaching kids and adults to ride—being by their side during that amazing moment when they’re riding for the first time is pure joy!

Emily Calderalo has been a coordinator for two TD Five Boro Bike Tours and currently assists the indomitable Kathy Stout part time in juggling customer relations and being a first line of communication.

Hometown:
Oswego, NY

Favorite New York restaurant:
Mamoun’s falafel. Tastes even better when you pay in all quarters

Ask me about:Photography, music, dance battles

Personal motto:
The juice is worth the squeeze

Dream vacation destination:
Costa Rica

Last good book read:
Collages by Anais Nin

When I’m not working at Bike New York, you’ll most likely find me:
Hanging out in Bushwick

Dan, a Staten Island resident who attended Stuyvesant High School and the College of Staten Island, worked as a bike messenger and as a bike mechanic before coming to Bike New York in 2012.

Hometown:Staten IslandI like working for Bike New York because:Bike New York shares and spreads the joy of riding bicycles.Hobbies:Table-top role playing games, hockey, video gamesNicknames:Funky MonkeyAsk me about:History, New York City politics, the Solar SystemPersonal motto:There is no way to peace, peace is the Way.Last good book read:The Idiot, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Maura’s fascination with Bike New York started when she first saw the 2014 TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Exactly a year afterward, she seized the opportunity to connect with Bike New York at a volunteer fair at her school, Baruch College. Soon afterward, she became the Bike Education Intern. She has a Bachelor in Public Affairs and is a certified Personal Trainer. She shares the same passion with Bike New York to advocate a healthy living through active lifestyle.

Rich has been the Director of Education since starting at Bike New York in 2004. He has a masters and doctorate from University of Notre Dame, and his bike industry experience includes working for Metro Bicycles and teaching middle school kids for Recycle-A-Bicycle. In addition to being a League Cycling Instructor (LCI), he’s an LCI coach for the League of American Bicyclists. He has a brilliant, wonderful teenage daughter and three cats who are nice, but not so brilliant.

Hometown:

Lincoln, Nebraska

I like working for Bike New York because:

The people here are really fun to work with, and we have great programs that make an immediate difference in peoples’ lives.

Prior to coming to Bike New York, Steve graduated from Wesleyan University, where he studied history, politics and Economics, worked as a teacher in Springfield, MA, and received his Masters in City Planning at Rutgers University, focusing on bicycle and pedestrian planning. For years, he has spent his summers working in outdoor education, youth leadership and event planning. An instructor with Bike New York, an LCI, and an avid cyclist himself, he is passionate about the positive impact of cycling on individuals and communities.

Hometown:Brooklyn, NYFavorite New York restaurant:
All other falafels are disappointing after eating at Taim.I like working for Bike New York because:I get to work with smart, passionate people promoting something I love.Nickname:Captain CourageAsk me about:Random geographical facts, or if you need someone to calculate a tip real fast.Favorite street to ride on in New York and why:I love the slow traffic, beautiful houses and interesting shops on the narrow streets of the West Village.If I could have any bike in the world, it’d be:One that I could magically shrink to easily carry up stairs and store in my 4th-floor walkup.

Sora grew up in Nijmegen, the Netherlands – a city about an hour away from Amsterdam. Before she started studying International Communications in Arnhem at the HAN University of Applied Sciences, she studied Tourism and Recreation Management in Amsterdam at the Inholland University of Applied Sciences. As part of her studies, she had the opportunity to do an internship abroad, which is why she is now here at Bike New York, experiencing a a new, different cycling culture. Fact: before today, she had never eaten a donut in her life.

Hometown:

Nijmegen, the Netherlands

I like working for Bike New York because:

Four years ago I came to New York for the first time and the first thing I noticed was that all people were so friendly. When I got the opportunity to do an internship in New York, Bike New York seemed like the perfect company for me, a Dutch girl, coming from a bicycle country, wanting to learn more about Communications in general while relating it to an organization that feels so close to home.

Ask me about (topics you’re particularly interested in or know a lot about):

Travel, make-up, good restaurants (in Holland, that is, or Paris)

Dream vacation destination:

There’s a long list of places I would love to go to. I’d say somewhere tropical, where people live, eat and dance outside.

When I’m not working at Bike New York, you’ll most likely find me:

Discovering the city… could be anywhere.

Something people are surprised to learn about me:

I am half Algerian on my dad’s side. Though, I don’t know anything about the country as my dad lives in Valencia, Spain.

Jamie moved to Brooklyn from the Caribbean island of Trinidad in 1990. In 2005, she graduated from Baruch College with a bachelor’s degree in Music Management. She also worked for an independent record label while earning her degree, in addition to a stint in publishing with Nielsen Company. She began her non-profit career at the Armory Foundation in 2005 and joined Bike New York in October 2010.

Hometown:Brooklyn, but born in Trinidad and Tobago

Favorite New York restaurant:

I’m a foodie! I can’t just pick one. If I must choose, I will go with Sugarcane Restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Any dish that involves callaloo is amazing!

Jade Mountain Resort, St. LuciaSomething people are surprised to learn about me:I’m obsessed with Lionel Richie; I saw him live for the first time this past June. I think I was the youngest person in the crowd.If I could have any bike in the world, it’d be:A Brompton Folding Bike. It can fit in my closet next to the shoes.

Prior to joining Bike New York, Andy was the Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing at NYC & Company, where he played an integral role in attracting the 2014 Super Bowl to the New York City region. Previously, he served for 11 years as Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Sports Commission.

Andy’s extensive career in the sports industry has included positions with the Israel Basketball Association, the University of California, Santa Barbara, the University of Connecticut, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. He is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara and has a Master of Science in Sports Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Andy created and taught a graduate course entitled Sports and Events Tourism at NYU’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, and is a board member of Carnegie Sports and Entertainment, LLC, and currently serves on the board of the Armory Foundation and United Jewish Appeal’s Sports for Youth Committee.

Hometown:

Delmar, NY

Favorite New York restaurant:

SriPraPhai in Woodside, Queens. Best Thai food in the city. I love the Larb Gai as an appetizer along with the Som Tum (Green Papaya salad). Tom Yung Goong soup is fantastic! The curries are great and you can’t go wrong with the steamed or fried whole fish with sweet chili sauce or a garlic, chili and lime sauce. Close second is Taverna Kyclades in Astoria. Grilled Octopus is amazing! Excellent grilled fish, lamb chops, salads, and traditional dips like Skordalia, Tzatziki, and Taramosalata.

I like working for Bike New York because:

We have an amazing team of smart, passionate, dedicated professionals that make every day a great day and we’re helping change the culture of the City which will make it a safer and more livable place.

Rebecca has spent most of her life as a member of the Bike New York family, thanks to her father who was involved with the Tour for more than 25 years. As a child, she remembers the days when the staff would host barbecues on the back lawn of the Youth Hostel on Amsterdam (their old office location). She’d play with the other BNY kids and the litters of kittens that would turn up season after season. When she was old enough to volunteer, she was assigned to the SAG truck for the tail of the Five Boro Bike Tour, where she quickly discovered her love for the tour. As the organization grew, she found employment as a freelancer working on the Five Boro, the regional rides, and their summer outreach booths. Her experiences with Bike New York led her to pursue a degree in Hospitality Management and additional event production opportunities, but her commitment to the organization never waned. Although she spent some time overseas and exploring other professions, she kept in contact with her Bike New York family. Now she joins us as a full-time Events Manager.

Hometown:
Staten Island, New York

Nickname(s):
Red or Bec

Ask me about:
Domestic feline health advice. I used to work in a number of veterinary hospitals, including an all cat clinic. Need help trimming your cat’s nails? I’m the best cat wrangler in town!

Personal motto:
“I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.” ~John D. Rockefeller

Last good book read:The Power of One by Bryce Courtney – both moving and insightful.

Something people are surprised to learn about me:
I want to be a farmer. My first job was at the Staten Island Zoo as a Jr. Zookeeper caring for ponies. When I was 20, I spent half a year on a kibbutz in Israel working in a petting zoo. Shortly thereafter, I went off to New Zealand to live on a hundred acre cattle farm where I straightened fence wire, moved cows between paddocks, and cooed at chickens. At some point, I’d like to move upstate, get off the grid, and live a simpler life.

Favorite post-ride treat:
Post ride? How about mid-ride?! One of my favorite routes in the summer begins in south slope where I’ll cruise Northeast to prospect park, head down Vanderbilt to the Flushing/Kent bike path and cut up and over to Peter Pan’s in Greenpoint for a marble cruller. The return trip is a sugary daze.

Jared joined Bike New York as their Bike Fleet Manager after instructing for their Summer Camp and Afterschool programs. Before that he wasn’t a New Yorker at all, coming from a stint in Chicago at a postgraduate Design-Build program (Archeworks) after his time at the University of Alabama where he honed the myriad talents he now brings to the bike fleet.

Hometown:Killen, ALI like working for Bike New York because:Human power is divine power.Personal motto:Makin’ it work!Last good book read:The Dungeon’s and Dragons Player’s Handbook (5th ed.)People are surprised:That I’m from Alabama.Favorite post-ride treat:FRO-YOOOOOOOOO!If I could have any bike in the world, it’d be:The Mochet Velocar that caused UCI to get all uptight when a second-category athlete broke speed records with it. Recumbents are the better bike!

Hailing from what she still considers the “Best Coast”, Jena originates from Seattle, WA where she studied Communication and Psychology at the University of Washington. After graduation she accepted an internship at an event production company bringing her to New York. While at Eventage, not only did she meet her now husband but was also introduced to Bike New York as they became one of her clients. Jena has managed the rest areas and water stops along the TD Five Boro Bike Tour route as well as SAG operations for over five years. Additionally she’s worked on fundraising athletic events for other non-profits including, National Brain Tumor Society, United Way of New York City, Women’s Sports Foundation and New York Road Runners. No stranger to Bike New York, transitioning to Director of Events was the perfect fit. She is excited to expand her cycling knowledge and purchase a new set of wheels. Jena lives with her husband Kyle in Jersey City and are seriously considering adding a four-legged little one to their family.

Favorite New York restaurant and what to order:

Not so much a restaurant but a store, Porto Rico Importing Co on Bleecker Street has the best coffee bean selection. The aroma of stepping into the store is what I imagine heaven smells like.

Hobbies:

Making healthy treats that still involve chocolate, organizing, Pinterest-ing, and exploring the outdoors

Ask me about:

Nail polish – I own over 100 bottles, and tapping fire hydrants

Personal motto:

There’s a place for everything and everything has it’s place.

Dream vacation destination:

A thatched roof hut over the crystal blue waters of Bora Bora

When I’m not working at Bike New York, you’ll most likely find me:

Exploring a new neighborhood with my husband, trying a new recipe, painting my nails, or planning our next getaway

Ever since participating in the 1982 5 Boro Bike Tour, Mark has been involved in some way with organization now known as Bike New York. Having changed careers from construction project management, running commercial bike and ski tours, retail of bikes and outdoor recreational gear, and data management for a health insurance company, Mark has always found his involvement with the bike riding community most satisfying. In 2007, after becoming a League Cycling Instuctor, Mark became an instructor with Bike New York’s Bike Ed department. Now, as the Public Programs Manager, he can continue to help BNY provide high quality instruction to bike riders who want to ride safely and confidently.

Hometown:Monroe, NYI like working for Bike New York because:Nobody here looks at me “that way” when I talk about bike riding.Hobbies:Other than bikes? Movies, travel (by bike or otherwise), and exploring neighborhoods where friends live (bike & foot).Dream vacation destination:I’ve been to Paris four times, but have only spent two full days there.Last good book read:The Stand (in 1986)Something people are surprised to learn about me:I was once a Black Belt in Taekwondo.Favorite post-ride treat:Ice cold chocolate milk

Sam Polcer came to Bike New York after more than seven years as a travel magazine editor. He also freelances as a photographer and recently completed his first book, New York Bike Style, which was published by Prestel in Spring 2014. (He also maintains a blog, Preferred Mode, featuring some of the photos from that project.) His images have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and many magazine and websites. Previously, he was a nightclub visual designer, flyer distributor, traveling circus spotlight operator, documentary filmmaker, DJ, video editor, blueberry picker, election campaigner and event producer.

Hometown:New York, NYI like working for Bike New York because:It allows me to use my skills to help make New York an even better place, while surrounded by the smartest, kindest, most interesting and most dedicated group of people I could ever hope to work with.Personal motto:Live the interesting life and leave the place better than you found it.Last good book read:Do Not Sell At Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World’s Rarest 78 rpm Records by Amanda PetrusichSomething people are surprised to learn about me:I once ran away and joined the circus for a year.Favorite street to ride on in New York:Flushing Avenue at nightFavorite post-ride treat:A slice and a can of Coke

Sharon returned to Bike New York after having served as volunteer coordinator for rest areas and water stops for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Previously she assisted with community outreach for CIVITAS’ Reimagining the Waterfront design competition.

Favorite New York restaurant and what to order:Spring Street Natural: Medallions of Seitan Piccata and there’s excellent live jazz Thursday nights. Ahhh, life is good.I like working for Bike New York because:Everyone here has such diverse and amazing backgrounds. Hey, I fit right in!Personal motto:“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” -Albert EinsteinDream vacation destination:A silent meditation retreat at a monastery in Thailand. It would be nice (or a challenge) to be quiet for a short, defined period of time. Of course with my cellphone close by!Something people are surprised to learn about me:I love HGTV.If I could have any bike in the world, it’d be:An Electra Royal 8i in ocean blue. Beautiful.

Kristina has been working with youth and/or bikes for the last seven years and came to Bike New York to integrate her two passions professionally. Previously, she ran large-scale academic and workforce development programs for disconnected and/or court-involved youth across the five boroughs. One time, she organized nine other women bike advocates to ride from New York to DC in the middle of winter to rally other women to get involved in conversations about transportation infrastructure. It was very cool but also very cold. She has a Master’s in Urban Policy (Politics and Advocacy) from the New School and a Bachelor’s in writing poems about boys who broke her heart in college.

Hometown:
Born a Manhattanite, aging as an Astorian

Favorite New York restaurant:
The duck bun guy on the corner of Prince and Main in Flushing. Runner-up status goes to the bacon, egg, and cheese on roll from whatever bodega will serve them to me after 11am.

Favorite street to ride on in New York and why:
Northern Boulevard, because it’s the central nervous system of Queens. There’s nothing like coming home off the QBB and falling into a group of wise cyclists who just want to take the lane and go home.

Favorite post-ride treat:
Americanized bar food quesadillas with a side of a sassy pico and a beer darker than the pain cave I just rode through.

Originally from Arkansas, Sam moved to NYC in 2010 to get his MFA in poetry at Brooklyn College. Prior to Bike New York, he worked as a manny, college English teacher, and editor at Publishers Weekly. He lives in Red Hook with his wife and dog and bikes.

Hometown:Little Rock, ArkansasFavorite New York restaurant and what to order:Corner Bistro in the West Village. Order a cheeseburger (medium rare), fries, & a pair of McSorley’s. And then maybe another cheeseburger.I like working for Bike New York because:Going to work never feels like going to work. My job is a thrilling, challenging, and galvanizing extension of my life, and I’m blessed to be able to say that.Nickname:ScramLast good book read:Anna Karenina (I obsessively document every book I read on Instagram. @somescram #scramsbooks)When I’m not working, you’ll most likely find me:
Kickin’ it with my boos (i.e. my wife, Rachel, and my dog, Boo) at home in Red Hook. And also probably eating a cheeseburger.Favorite street to ride on in New York and why:The Hudson River Greenway when you’ve got a tailwind, nothing to do and plenty of time to do it in, and the sun is setting over Jersey. That’s pretty hard to beat.

Juliana “Jewels” Smith is an educator, activist and bike enthusiast. Smith believes that cycling has the ability to empower communities by making transportation and mobility a free or low-cost endeavor. Smith has co-founded two cycling organizations: Red Bike and Green, a Black cycling organization that seeks to create a relevant and sustainable Black bike culture by focusing on the physical and mental health, economy, and local environment of African-American communities, as well as Clitoral Mass, a mass women’s and women-identified ride in Oakland, CA.

Hometown:Foster City, CAFavorite New York restaurant:Souen. It’s the closest I can get to California cuisine.Nickname:JewelsWhen I’m not working at Bike New York, you’ll most likely find me:Working on my comic book, (H)afrocentric.Something people are surprised to learn about me:I’ve been to Prince’s house, where he played a concert in his living room. I saw him play a guitar solo to Purple Rain in a white sequence outfit. **Drops mic**Favorite post-ride treat:A green smoothie.If I could have any bike in the world, it’d be:This question is too hard for someone like me, who has bike envy ALL the time. Perhaps this bike will fulfill all my needs.

Kathy graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Psychology. In 2007 she won AFA’s national competition in Prose Interpretation and began acting, writing and performing. She also worked freelance events and was introduced to Bike New York where, in 2013, she started her full time position as customer service manager.

Hometown:Basking Ridge, New JerseyNickname:“Katherole” for a brief time, but I’m holding out for more options.Ask me about:My cat. Her full name is Notorious C.A.T. aka kitty smalls aka Carol Wallace, but you can call her Carol. She is amazing.Dream vacation destination:Anywhere near water, preferably the ocean—but I’d settle for a great waterfall.Last good book read:Sorry We’re Close by J. Tarin TowersWhen I’m not working, you’ll most likely find me:WritingIf I could have any bike in the world, it’d be:Turquoise, collapsible and impossible to steal.

Sameer’s journey with Bike New York began as a participant in the Twin Lights Ride 2014 and the TD Five Boro Bike Tour 2015. “I saw so many Bike New York volunteers everywhere and it seemed like such a fun and fulfilling experience.” Soon after, he became an avid volunteer for our Learn to Ride and Bicycle Basics classes, eventually becoming a Volunteer Ambassador for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour in 2016. Additionally, he was an instructor for our Youth Program for a year, teaching children around New York City how to ride bikes safely. What he loves most about teaching and volunteering is watching people’s belief in themselves grow. “Many of them arrive hesitant and unsure of themselves, but by the end of the class or program they are transformed and empowered.” He as well feels transformed and empowered by his time at Bike New York and is ready to use his experience and implement his ideas to improve the Volunteer Department in his new role as Education Volunteer Manager.

Hometown:

Cincinnati, Ohio (I’m mostly a Californian though)

Favorite New York restaurant and what to order:

Wangs! And not just because my girlfriend owns the place. It’s southern soul food with east Asian flavors. People love the wings but my personal fav is the fried chicken. And the corn on the cob. And the cornbread with salted scallion butter!

I like working for Bike New York because:

We make a positive difference in the world. Also, because for once I’m not the only employee at my job biking to work!

Hobbies:

Hangin’ with my lady, writing songs for and playing shows with my band TOLANI (shameless plug: tolani.squarespace.com), dog sitting, calisthenics, frisbee, people watching.

Dream vacation destination: The Son Doong cave in Vietnam. It’s the biggest cave in the world and was only very recently discovered so the human footprint is minimal.

Favorite street to ride on in New York and why:

W 141st St in Hamilton Heights. It runs alongside the Hamilton Grange National Memorial and City College of New York campus. It’s just a long stretch of pure incline. I love hills (I’m a masochist).

Favorite post-ride treat:

Honeycrisp apples and peanut butter. Good sugar, good fat, and most importantly, good taste.